ROCHESTER, NY (June 11, 2009) – WXXI’s national healthcare series, Second Opinion: Taking Charge of Your Healthcare, won two Communicator Awards in the health and fitness TV program category for its Alzheimer’s Disease: A Caregiver’s Journey and Vaccines episodes. The Communicator Awards recognize creative excellence in advertising, corporate communications, public relations, and identity work for print, video, Web, and audio.

The first award-winning episode, Alzheimer’s Disease: A Caregiver’s Journey, focuses on caregiving issues surrounding a person with a cognitive disease. Panelists include: Lisa Harris, MD, Primary Care Physician, Associate Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC); Kathleen Kelly, MPA, Executive Director, Family Caregiver Alliance; Barbara Moscowitz, MSW, Coordinator for Geriatric Social Work of Mass General Hospital; David Latshaw, caregiver to his wife with Alzheimer’s Disease; William Hall, MD, Professor of Medicine, Director for Center of Healthy Aging, URMC; Alan Dengiz, MD, CMD, Director of Geriatric Medicine at St. Joseph Mercy Health System. This episode of Second Opinion is part of a national public education campaign, raising awareness about the issues facing caregivers. The campaign is supported by the Jacob and Valeria Langeloth Foundation and includes a Website for caregiver support materials in English and in Spanish: www.pbs.org/secondopinion/secondopinionforcaregivers/index.html

Hosted by Dr. Peter Salgo, Second Opinion presents actual medical cases to a panel of experts to debate the pros and cons of diagnostic testing, interpret test results, and prescribe the best course of action. Earlier in 2009, the series received two Telly Awards, which recognize excellence in local, regional, and cable TV programs and commercials, as well as video and film productions.

Produced by WXXI in association with West 175 Productions and URMC, Second Opinion’s executive producers are Elissa Orlando and Elizabeth Brock. Dr. Roger Oskvig of the University of Rochester Medical Center is the program's medical advisor. The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association nationally underwrites the series. Second Opinion airs Saturdays at 3 p.m. and Sundays at 1:30 p.m. on WXXI-TV (DT21.1/cable 11/cable 1011) and on more than 250 PBS stations across the country.

###
WXXI is the essential, life-long educational media resource for the Greater Rochester area. WXXI puts the community first with programming that stimulates and expands thought, inspires the spirit, opens cultural horizons and promotes understanding of diverse community issues. Log on to wxxi.org for more information about our services and programs.